Power operated window regulators



Aug. 16, 1960 N. DUDCHIK POWER OPERATED WINDOW REGULATORS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 21, 1956 INVENTOR Mamas ATTORNEYs Aug. 1 1 9 N. DUDCIZHIK 7 2,949,039 Y POWER OPERATED WINDOW REGULATORS Filed Nov. 21, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR MCHOLA) 0UDCH/K ATTORNEYS Aug. 16, 1960 N. DUDCHIK POWER OPERATED WINDOW REGULATORS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 21, 1956 mwww ww%m M Aug. 16, 1960 N. DUDCHIK 2,949,039

I POWER OPERATED WINDOW REGULATORS Filed Nov. 21, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I N VENTOR Momma fiwcH/K m H 58 v BY ATTORNEYS 2,949,039 Patented Aug. 16, 1960 ice 2,949,039 POWER OPERATED WINDOW REGULATORS Nicholas Dudchik, Royal Oak, Micln, assignor to Hupp Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Virginia Filed Nov. 21, 1956, Ser. No. 623,590 9 Claims. (Cl. 74384) This invention relates to window regulators and more particularly to reversible power operated devices for raising and lowering the windows of automotive vehicles.

Regulators of the general type with which the present invention is primarily concerned are of the so-called package construction and comprise a complete unitary window actuating assembly adapted to be mounted within the body of the vehicle. One form of window regulator of this general type is disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,684,847 owned by the assignee of the present invention.

Window regulators of this type include a mounting plate secured in a fixed position within the body of the vehicle near the window opening, the mounting plate supporting all of the remaining components of the assembly including the motor, the window actuating linkage and power transmission connecting the motor and linkage.

In existing regulators including the regulators disclosed in the aforesaid Patent No. 2,684,847 the construction and shape of the mounting plate and certain of the associated elements must be varied substantially to permit installation of the unit in the bodies of different makes and models of vehicles. This variation in construction is required because of the varying shape, size and contour of the various panels and mounting pads which are required in vehicle bodies to accommodate other necessary equipment and because of the symmetrically opposite design of left hand and right-hand sides of the body. Accordingly, relatively high investments in tooling and inventories must be made to provide the many different styles necessary to equip a full line of vehicles with window regulator assemblies.

In accordance with the present invention the components of the window regulator are constructed in a unique manner to permit pre-assembly of the components for use in any desired installation. Thus a given standard set of components may, by proper assembly, be used as desired in any body of any standard automobile.

This novel result is accomplished by providing a main mounting plate to be secured to the body, and a lower mounting plate or housing carrying a motor and a gear drive, the two mounting units being so constructed that the lower mounting plate or housing may be secured to the upper mounting plate in any desired position for left or right hand installation without interference with other equipment, pads or projections within the door.

In one form of the invention the lower unit includes an integral housing for the gear drive and motor shaft thus further simplifying the assembly and affording complete protection to the power train.

It is accordingly the primary purpose and object of the present invention to provide power operated window regulators which fit virtually all existing and presently contemplated vehicle bodies.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide improved window regulator assemblies which are of relatively simple, compact construction as compared with prior units of comparable performance.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide improved window regulator assemblies which include novel means for protecting the drive train from moisture and dirt.

Additional objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of one form of window regulator assembly installed in the door, a portion of the door and window also being shown;

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of a portion of the unit of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a central section taken along line 33 of a portion of the assembly of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the upper mounting plate removed from the assembly;

Figure 5 is a rear elevation with parts in section of a modified form of the invention;

Figure 6 is a central section taken along line 5-5 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a rear elevation of a further modification of the invention; and

Figure 8 is a section taken along line 8--8 of Figure 7.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the window regulator is shown in Figure 1 installed in a vehicle with the components of the mechanism in position to hold a window 20 in its fully raised position. The principal components of the window regulator, to be described in detail below, are the upper mounting plate 22, the lower mounting plate 24 which carries a motor 26 and a power transmitting unit 28. A sector gear 30 driven by the power transmitting unit 28 is connected by a link 32 to the arm 34 of a scissors type mechanism indicated generally at 36 of the same construction as the corresponding elements shown in the aforesaid Patent No. 2,684,847. The free end of the scissors arm 34 is pro vided with a roller 38 received in a slot 40 in a fitting 42 secured to the lower side of the window 20. The other scissors arm 44, pivotally connected to the arm 34 as at 46, is provided with rollers 48 and 50, the former traveling in a slot 52 formed in a fitting 54 at the lower side of the window 20 and the latter being slidably mounted on a rail 56 rigidly mounted by any suitable means on the body.

The assembly comprising the upper and lower mounting plates and the members mounted thereon will now be described in detail with particular reference to Figures 1-4. The upper mounting plate 22 is preferably a one piece stamping of sheet steel and comprises a substantially flat main body section 58 having integral parallel flat flanges 60 and 62 extending along a portion of its opposite lateral edges. The flanges 60 and 62 collectively provide a mounting area and are provided with square openings 64 in which fastening devices 66 are assembled to secure the mounting plate rigidly to a portion of the body 68.

Centrally of its upper portion the main body 58 of the upper mounting plate 22 is provided with a punched opening 70 into which a bearing 72 is press-fitted in which the shaft 74 of the sector 30 is journalled. An annular rib 75 is formed around the opening 70 to provide a bearing surface for the sector 30. At its inner end the shaft 74 is provided with a kerf 76 which receives one end of a coil spring 78, the opposite end of which bears against an inturned flange 80 formed integrally with the mounting plate 22.

Below the flanges 60 and 62, the mounting plate 22 is provided with an integral extension 82 which forms a flat mounting area for supporting the lower mounting plate aoaaoso a) 24. To impart rigidity to the mounting area three stiffening ribs 84 are formed integrally therewith. Also formed integrally with the lower mounting area is a cup 86 which encloses and protects the output pinion 88 of the reduction gear mechanism 28. As shown in Figure 3 the ribs 75 and 84 and a lip 89 on the cup 86 provides guide and bearing surfaces for the sector 30.

The lower mounting plate 24 is also preferably a one piece sheet metal stamping and comprises an essentially flat mounting area 90 of generally circular outline and a motor mounting area 92 having an integral flange 9 extending along its outer marginal edges. The mounting studs 96 of the motor project through suitable openings in the flange 94 and the motor is secured in place by nuts 98, suitable resilient grommets 100 being utilized to shock mount the motor and reduce transmission of the motor noise. Alternately the flange 94 may be eliminated and the motor housing may be secured directly to the flat mounting area 92.

The input shaft 102 of the gear reduction mechanism 28 which may be of conventional construction for example of the type shown in US. Patent No. 2,651,212 is connected to the motor shaft 104 by a resilient coupling 106. The housing 107 and cover 108 of the drive mechanism 28 are secured to the lower mounting plate 24 by means of studs 109 threaded into clinch nuts 110 assembled to the rear side of the mounting plate which is indented as at 112 so that the nuts 110 may be received between the upper and lower mounting plates.

The lower mounting plate is completed by suitable punched openings 114, 116 and 118 to accommodate the various elements of the drive mechanism.

The lower mounting plate is secured to the upper mounting plate by a plurality of spot welds or other fastening means such as those indicated at 120. Because of the configuration of the adjacent areas of the upper and lower mounting plates and the fact that each of the plates has a flat annular mounting area concentric with the axis of the opening 114 in the lower mounting plate and with the cup 86 in the upper mounting plate, the lower mounting plate may be secured in substantially any desired angular position between the limit positions shown in the full lines and dotted lines in Figure 1. Accordingly, the upper and lower mounting plates may be assembled, for example, in the full line position of Figure 1 for right hand installation, in the dotted line position for left hand installation or in any desired intermediate position to clear mounting pads or other obstructions within the interior of the automobile door. Thus the regulator assembly of the present invention comprises two simple sheet metal stamping elements which may be assembled for installation in any body of substantially any make or model of automobile. This is in direct contrast to all known prior constructions which require different components for each make and model and for left and right hand installations.

In addition to the reduction in the requirement for the manufacture of separate and different assemblies and components the present invention also represents a considerable advantage over prior constructions in that the individual components are of simplified construction which may be manufactured by simple stamping and punching operations using dies of simple and relatively inexpensive configuration.

A modified form of the invention which also possesses these advantages is shown in Figures and 6 to which detailed reference will now be made.

This form of the invention dififcrs from the form previously described principally in that the gear reduction mechanism is housed directly within the lower mounting plate rather than in a separate detachable unit. The upper mounting plate 122 is a sheet metal stamping of essentially the same construction as the mounting plate 22. However, in lieu of the integrally formed cup 86 the mounting plate 122 has a reversely dished cup 124 d surrounding an opening 126. As in the previous embodiment the mounting plate 122 is provided with a flat annular mounting area 128 concentric with the axis of operating 126.

The lower mounting plate 130 is generally of the same outline as the corresponding plate 24 and is provided with an annular flat mounting area 132 concentric with the axis of a central dish-shaped well 134 which houses the drive transmission assembly indicated generally at 136. The generally circular well 134 is provided at one side with a lateral extension 138 having aligned punched holes 140 in which bearing assemblies 142 are mounted which rotatably support the power input member 144-. The shaft 145 is connected by a flexible coupling 146 to the shaft 148 of the motor 150 which is mounted on a flange 152 formed integrally with the lower mounting plate in the same manner as the assembly of Figure l. A central aperture 154 is formed in the housing section 134 and carries a bearing 156 for rotatably journalling one end of shaft 158 which supports the large and small pinions 160 and 162, respectively, of the gear reduction mechanism. The opposite end of the shaft 158 is journalled in bearing 164 press-fitted in a suitable opening in a separate stamped cover member 166 fastened to the rear surface of the mounting plate 122. The housing section 134 is sealed against the entry of dirt and foreign matter by an annular seal *168 mounted between the pinon 160 and the adjacent surface of the section 124 of the mounting plate 122. The shaft is held in place by a spring washer 169 fitting into an annular notch adjacent the end of the shaft. Suitable plate bearings 170 and 171 are provided at opposite sides of the bushing 156.

As in the previous embodiment the annular mounting areas of the upper and lower mounting plates are fastened together as at 172 to dispose the lower mounting plate in the full line and dotted line positions shown in Figure 5 or in any intermediate position as required by the particular installation involved.

While the upper and lower mounting plates in both forms of the invention disclosed above have been described as sheet metal stampings nevertheless it is to be understood that they may be constructed of other materials. They may, for example, be constructed of plastic or may be die cast. Figures 7 and 8 to which reference will now be made specifically disclose a modified assembly incorporating a die cast lower mounting plate.

The upper mounting plate indicated generally at 174 is of the same construction as the upper mounting plate 22 described above except for dimensional variations and a slight difference in configuration. The mounting plate 174 includes flanges 176 and 177 for attachment to the vehicle body and a lower mounting area indicated generally at 178 of generally circular outline and bounded by a marginal stiffening flange 180. Between the flange 180 and the integral protective cup 182 the lower mounting portion 178 includes an annular mounting area 184 to which the die cast lower mounting member indicated generally at 186 may be secured in a variety of positions.

The lower mounting member 186, which is of one piece die cast construction, is of the same general configuration as the lower mounting plates of the two forms of the invention described above and includes a generally circular mounting area formed by a substantially circular flange 188 by which the lower member is attached to the upper mounting plate 17 4 and a motor mounting area 190 for supporting the drive motor and certain components of the drive mechanism. The mounting area includes four bosses 192 formed integrally with the flange 188, the bosses 192 having through bores 196 formed on a common circumference concentric with the mounting area 184 on the upper mounting plate 174. A circular opening 198 is formed on the rear wall 200 of the member 186 in which a bearing assembly 201 is mounted for journalling the output shaft 202 of the gear reduction mechanism. The shaft carries the large and small pinions 203 and 204. Ring washers 205 and 206 are provided to seal the bearing assembly.

The input shaft 207 of the gear reduction mechanism is journalled in aligned bushings 208 and 209 press-fitted or otherwise suitably secured in aligned openings provided in suitable bosses formed integrally with the casting 186.

A marginal flange 120 is provided with apertures 212 and 21 4 which receive the mounting studs and resilient grommets of the drive motor 26. The motor drive shaft extends through a further opening 216 formed in the flange 210 and is connected to the input shaft of the gear reduction mechanism by the flexible coupling 146 which is housed within and completely enclosed by a circular wall 218 formed integrally with the casting 186.

This construction completely excludes moisture and dirt from the region of the flexible coupling and the motor drive shaft and prevents water from running down the motor shaft into the motor and thus offers a degree of protection to the motor and drive mechanism not heretofore available and eliminates the need for the plastic shields or other sealing members heretofore employed.

The lower mounting member 186 may be assembled to the upper mounting plate 174 to dispose the former in any suitable angular position. The lower member 186 is preferably secured to the upper mounting plate by four bolts or other fastening means 220 which extend through the bores 196 formed in the bosses 192 and through four holes drilled at the desired location through the annular mounting area 184 in the upper mounting plate. The bolts 220 are threaded into clinch nuts 222 mounted in the upper mounting plate. Also held in place by the bolts 220 is a stamped cover member 224 which completely encloses the reduction gearing assembly and which includes a bearing 226 journalling the outer end of shaft 202.

Because of the construction of the upper and lower members 174 and 186 and their method of assembly the lower member can be shifted through an angle of over 140 degrees which in practice has proved to be adequate to adapt the regulator assembly for use in connection with the opening and closing of any window of all standard makes of vehicles.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. For example, one arm of the scissors mechanism may be connected directly to the gear sector as disclosed in the aforesaid US. Patent No. 2,684,847. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

l. A window regulator assembly comprising a stamped sheet metal main mounting member, said mounting member having an elongated substantially flat central portion, a gear sector mounted on one side of said central portion and adapted to drive a window actuating linkage, coplanar marginal flanges extending along a portion only of the opposite sides of said central portion, said flanges being substantially parallel with said central mounting portion and offset from the plane of said central portion in a direction away from said gear sector, said main mounting member also having a substantially flat mounting portion projecting integrally from one end of said central portion beyond the ends of said flanges, and an auxiliary mounting member having a flange, a motor and a drive unit connecting said motor to said gear sector, means supporting said motor and said drive unit on said flange said auxiliary mounting member having a substantially flat annular mounting area having a shape and size complementary to the mounting portion of said main mounting member whereby said auxiliary mounting member may be secured to said main mounting member in a plurality of angular positions to thereby facilitate the mounting of said window regulator assembly in a wide variety of installations and means securing the mounting portion of said auxiliary mounting member to the mounting portion of said main mounting member in a preselected angular position.

2. A window regulator assembly comprising a stamped sheet main mounting member, said mounting member having an elongated substantially flat central portion, -a ge'arsector mounted on one side of said central portion and adapted to drive awindow actuating linkage, marginal flanges extending along a portion only of the opposite sides of said central portion, said flanges being offset from the plane of said central portion away in a direction from said gear sector, said main mounting member also having a substantially flat mounting portion projecting integrally from one end of said central portion beyond one end of said flanges, an auxiliary mounting member, said auxiliary mounting member having a substantially flat mounting portion having a shape and size complementary to the mounting portion of said main mounting member whereby said auxiliary mounting member may be secured to said main mounting member in a plurality of angular positions, a gear reduction assembly supported on said auxiliary mounting member and drivingly connected to said gear sector, a flange formed on said auxiliary mounting member and extending from an edge thereof in a direction substantially normal to said mounting portion, a driving motor supported on said flange drivingly connected to said gear reduction assembly and means securing the mounting portion of said auxiliary mounting member to the mounting portion of said main mounting member in a preselected angular position.

3. The assembly according to claim 2 together with a housing portion rigid with said auxiliary mounting member and enclosing said gear reduction assembly.

4. The assembly according to claim 3 wherein said housing is formed integrally with said auxiliary mounting member.

5. The assembly according to claim 3 wherein said housing is detachably secured to said auxiliary mounting member.

6. A mounting assembly for a window regulator comprising a stamped sheet metal main mounting member, said mounting member having an elongated, substantially flat central portion, marginal flanges extending along a portion only of the opposite sides of said central portion, said flanges being offset from the plane of said central portion in one direction, said main mounting member also having a substantially flat mounting portion projecting from one end of said central portion beyond one end of said flanges, an auxiliary mounting member, said auxiliary mounting member having a substantially flat mounting portion having a shape and size complementary to the mounting portion of said main mounting member whereby said auxiliary mounting member may be secured to said main mounting member in a plurality of angular positions, a motor mount flange formed on said auxiliary mounting member and extending from an edge thereof in a direction substantially normal to said mounting portion, and means securing the mounting portion of said auxiliary mounting member to the mounting portion of said main mounting member in a preselected angular position.

7. The assembly according to claim 6 together with a housing portion rigid with said auxiliary mounting member.

8. A mounting assembly for a window regulator comprising a main mounting member, said main mounting member having an elongated substantially flat central portion, marginal flanges extending along a portion only of the opposite sides of said central portion, said flanges being offset from the plane of said central portion in one direction, said main mounting member also having a substantially fiat mounting portion projecting from one end of said central portion beyond one end of said flanges, an auxiliary mounting member, said auxiliary mounting member having a substantially flat mounting portion hav ing a shape and size complementary to the mounting portion of said main mounting member whereby said auxiliary mounting member may be secured to said main mounting member in a plurality of angular positions, a motor mount flange formed on said auxiliary mounting member and extending from an edge thereof in angular relation to'said mounting portion, and means securing 15 2,781,191

the mounting portion of said auxiliary mounting member to the mounting. portion of said main mounting member in a preselected angular position.

9. The assembly according to claim ;8 together with a housingportion rigid with and projecting from the plane of the mounting portion of said auxiliary mounting member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Ehrlich et al. Sept. 20, 1955 Gelfand et a1 Sept. 18, 1956 Pickles Feb. 12, 1957 

